1937 BMW 328 Roadster
- Engine
- 1.97L inline-six
- Colour
- Factory green
Chassis 85065 is a 1937 BMW 328 Roadster with a fully documented ownership chain stretching back to its original delivery to a Berlin dealer in June 1937. First owned by Prince Hermann of Leiningen, the car was subsequently seized by American forces during World War II, raced in postwar Germany by Franz Kaeser, and later campaigned in the United States before eventually returning to Europe. A comprehensive three-year restoration in the mid-1990s, undertaken largely by Swiss specialist Bruno Kühnis, returned the aluminium body and factory green livery to original specification while preserving the matching-numbers shell, drivetrain, and wooden substructure.
Ownership
- —Auction saleSold €477,500 (≈ $525K)
- 1937 →Private salePrince Hermann of Leiningenpartial documentation
First private owner following new delivery; the car was later seized from his possession during the war by American forces.
- 1937-06-04 → 1937Factory deliveryBrenner BMW dealership Berlinfull documentation
Original delivery recipient, a Berlin-based BMW franchise; likely an intermediate step before the first private owner took possession.
- → 1945Acquisition unknownAmerican military forcespartial documentation
Vehicle was confiscated during wartime hostilities; no voluntary transfer occurred.
- 1945 → 1951Acquisition unknownFranz Kaeserpartial documentation
Had the bodywork repainted white, modified the front grille apertures, and entered the car in competition; subsequently emigrated to the USA taking the car with him.
- 1951 → 1959Acquisition unknownHarold Richardspartial documentation
US-based owner who used the car in club-level motorsport during his tenure; sold to a buyer in northern England in 1959.
- 1959 → 1963Private saleCustodian in Leeds, Englandpartial documentation
Anonymous owner based in Leeds; held the car for roughly four years before it returned to American ownership.
- 1963 → 1993Private saleCharles Swendlerpartial documentation
New York-based owner who retained the car for approximately three decades before it was offered through a North Carolina dealer.
- 1993-02-01 →Private saleThe Aumann Collectionfull documentation
Purchased via Touring Sport of Greenville, North Carolina for USD 12,000; subsequently commissioned a multi-year restoration in Germany and Switzerland, returning the car to factory specification.
Competition
- 1936-06-011936 EifelrennenDriver: Ernst Henne1st in 2-litre class
Model's competitive debut at the Nürburgring; this was not chassis 85065 but the event is cited as context for the model's racing pedigree.
- 1948-05-01Hockenheim race meetingDriver: Franz Kaeser
First documented competition entry for chassis 85065, driven by then-owner Kaeser after his modifications to the bodywork.
- 1955-05-01Sports Car Club of AmericaSCCA event at Thompson SpeedwayDriver: Harold Richards3rd place
Notable result achieved by the then-owner at a US club racing fixture.
Maintenance & restoration
- 1945Bodywork
Franz Kaeser had the car repainted white, the distinctive twin-kidney grilles reduced in height, and the nose reshaped to a more rounded profile.
These modifications altered the car's appearance from its factory specification prior to postwar competition use.
- 1993RestorationBruno Kühnis
A comprehensive three-year restoration was undertaken after the car arrived in Babenhausen, Germany. The aluminium bodywork was returned to original factory form and repainted in the correct factory green. Particular emphasis was placed on preserving the originality of the body shell, wooden subframe, engine, gearbox, and rear axle. The engine block was re-stamped with the chassis number using an original BMW 2-litre unit.
Work carried out primarily by specialist Bruno Kühnis near Zurich. The restoration is documented with photographs and supporting paperwork held in the car's history file.
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